1. Field of the Invention
Systems and methods consistent with the present invention relate to authenticating a device and a user in a home network, and more specifically, to authenticating a device and a user, wherein each device and each user are authenticated while differentiating access priority.
2. Description of the Related Art
A home network is a network connecting information technology home electronic devices within a home such that the devices can be used whenever and wherever required. In particular, digital devices such as Internet-operable refrigerators, washers, digital televisions (TVs), digital camcorders, cameras, computers, air-conditioners, and the like are connected to the home network. Currently, wired or wireless communication techniques are both employed as transmission techniques. Recently, wireless techniques that have been intensively researched include home radio frequency (RF), Bluetooth, wireless local area network (LAN), IrDA using infrared rays, and so forth.
On the other hand, in a home network, during data communications between devices or between a server and a device, a receiver needs to confirm and authenticate whether a message from a sender is legitimate and if the transmitter is a legitimate user. In addition, in a communication between the server and the devices, each device first needs to be registered and authenticated in order to perform normal communications with a server. Currently, various authentication methods are considered for inter-communication.
A common home network system is composed of at least one device and a home server administering the devices. Here, the device may be home electronics, for example, a washer, a refrigerator, an air-conditioner, a TV, an audio system, and so on. At this time, the home server and the devices can be connected to each other through a wired or wireless communication means, and the respective devices can be controlled through the communication between the server and the devices.
On the other hand, the home server and each device may be connected with each other through a wired line, but recently a wireless communication has been considered. The wireless communication means may be exemplified by a wireless LAN, Bluetooth, infrared communication (IrDA) and the like.
As described above, in order to control devices in a home server, when the device is originally installed, it needs to be registered with the home server. In a case where the home server and the device are in wireless communication, data security and device authentication are needed. That is, in a wireless environment, device authentication is a basic and inevitable security service for determining if each device is legitimate in permitting access to the server.
A conventional home network authentication method includes a ticket (or token) system, an access control list (ACL) technique, a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) method, a point-to-point protocol over Ethernet (PPPoE) method, auto Internet protocol (IP) configuration (no authentication) and the like.
First, the ticket (or token) system designates several types of ownership for access rights to a transmission service. At this time, a user must acquire a ticket from the administration system before being provided with a service (that is, having access). However, the ticket system has a drawback in that the ticket administration and application are difficult.
In the ACL technique, access rights are differentiated through an access list for users. However, this method does not provide a connection between the device and the user, thus leading to difficulty in the administration thereof. The DHCP method employs an authentication algorithm in addition to the DHCP protocol. However, the key distribution is difficult, and the communication protocol between two devices (that is, a client and a server) is not compatible.
The PPPoE authentication is an external access network authentication method, and uses a PPP link and a PPP protocol over Ethernet. However, it inherently includes disadvantages in that it has processing overhead through source routing and additional packet headers.
On the other hand, in the auto IP configuration or a network configuration not requiring authentication where no authentication is processed, anyone has a use right without restriction, but it may cause problems such as an invasion of privacy.
Therefore, there is a need to provide an effective authentication method for a user and a device for the construction of an efficient home network.